A Baked Potato is such a simple, inexpensive, easy, and delicious dish! Make the perfect potato by following a few simple tricks. Serve it with butter, chili, broccoli & cheese sauce, or loaded with bacon, cheese & sour cream.
Baked Potatoes are such a simple and tasty classic! They can be eaten plain with butter and salt or turned into a full meal by topping it with ALL the things! Serve your potatoes as a side to Beef Brisket,
Baked Potato 4 Ways
If you think baked potatoes are lame, you’re probably just not making them right. Follow this recipe that includes all the trick and tips to creating the perfect baked potato.
Ingredients for Baked Potatoes:
- Russet Potatoes– This is a very starchy potato that results in a fluffy soft interior when baked.
- Olive Oil– This oil has good flavor as well as a high smoke point making it a good option since the potatoes are baked at 450°F.
- Kosher Salt– This large granular salt is free from additives that can take on a metallic taste. The larger granulates also make it easier to handle and apply without over doing it.
How to Bake a Potato :
Time needed: 1 hour.
- Prep oven
Adjust oven rack so it is in the center of the oven and preheat to 450°F.
- Clean Potatoes
Wash and scrub the potatoes. Dry thoroughly.
Poke each potato all over with a fork ~12 times going about 1 inch deep. This will allow steam to escape.
- Prep Potatoes
Rub the potatoes lightly with oil and then rub with salt.
- Bake
Carefully place potatoes directly on the wire rack (I like to place foil on the rack underneath to catch any drips). Bake until they can easily be poked with a fork (45-60 minutes depending on the size). Optimal internal temperature is 205°F. Other signs of doneness are hissing sounds and tiny bubbles coming rom the poked holes.
- Serve
Cut the potatoes open immediately and fluff with a fork. (This allows the moisture to escape so the potato stays light and fluffy instead of continue to steam and become gummy.) Serve with desired toppings.
Baked Potato Toppings:
- Butter with Salt & Pepper- This is simple yet still so delicious! This is a healthy easy side for any meal.
- Chili, shredded cheese, and green onions- This is my favorite chili and it’s made quickly in the pressure cooker. Adding this on top helps stretch your chili to feed more mouths and it turns a basic side into a whole meal!
- Broccoli and Cheese Sauce– If you are having trouble getting your kids or even yourself to eat vegetables, just add cheese sauce!
- Cheese, bacon, sour cream, and chives- Fully load your baked potatoes with these tasty toppings for a side that everyone will be excited for.
FAQs
Signs that a baked potato is done cooking: faint hissing sounds, tiny bubbles coming from steam holes, it can be poked deep easily with a fork, and the skin will be wrinkled.
To be exact, use an instant-read thermometer. According to Cook’s Illustrated (tested 400 potatoes), the optimal internal temperature is 205°F. At this temperature the potato should be evenly cooked.
450°F results in the best bake potatoes. At this temperature they cook evenly, making the inside flesh tender and the skin crispy.
It depends! For a 10 ounce potato baked at 450°F, it takes approximately 45 minutes. It can take shorter or longer is your potato is smaller or larger.
No! Wrapping a potato in foil traps the steam creating a dense glue-like texture. Leave the foil off if you want a fluffy interior and crispy exterior.
Rubbing potatoes with oil results in a beautifully shiny, brown, and crisp skin. It also allows the salt to stick to the outside of the potato.
Poking a potato with holes creates a path for the steam to escape while baking. This will not only prevent the potato from exploding and creating a mess in the oven, but it also creates a light fluffy interior.
Russets! Some refer to them as “Idaho Potatoes” but that term can be applied to any type of potato grown in the state of Idaho. Russets are long, tapered, and dull brown. These potatoes are high in starch and cook best using dry heat methods.
Reheat in the oven at 325°F directly on the oven rack until warmed (about 15-20 minutes).
Allow baked potatoes to cool completely and then store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Cutting open the potatoes immediately allows the steam to escape. If trapped, the steam will cause the interior to become dense and gummy.
Yes, as long as you wash them well. The potato skin is actually very nutritious and contains a lot of fiber.
When potatoes are not store properly (exposed to light) they can form chlorophyll. This isn’t harmful but it is a sign that the toxin solanine is present. The green skin can be peeled and cut out to reduce levels of the toxin but if it’s extensively green, it’s best to throw the potato out. (Read more here)
TOOLS USED TO MAKE A BAKED POTATO:
- Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer– I wish I had gotten this sooner! This quick read thermometer helps you cook your meats to the adequate temperature. No more raw chicken or over cooked steak! I also use this for making bread, candy, baking the perfect potato… Best $14 I’ve ever spent!
LOOKING FOR MORE POTATO RECIPES? CHECK OUT THESE:
- The BEST Mashed Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes
- Hasselback Potatoes
- Creamy Potato Soup
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
How to Bake a Potato
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes, (about 10 ounce each = 2.5 pounds)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack so it is in the center of the oven and preheat to 450°F.
- Wash the potatoes well and then dry thoroughly with a kitchen towel.
- Poke each potato all over with a fork 8-10 times going about 1 inch deep. This will allow steam to escape.
- Rub the potatoes lightly with oil and then rub with salt.
- Carefully place potatoes directly on the wire rack (I like to place foil on the rack underneath to catch any drips). Bake until they can easily be poked with a fork (45-60 minutes depending on the size). Optimal internal temperature is 205°F. Other signs of doneness are hissing sounds and tiny bubbles coming rom the poked holes.
- Cut the potatoes open immediately and fluff with a fork. Serve with desired toppings: Butter and salt & pepperChili, cheese, and green onionsSteamed broccoli and cheese sauceCheese, bacon, sour cream, and chives
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